Closing meet at De La Brooke Foxhounds W (Md.) took a dramatic turn for Elvis, the horse, who became stuck on a partially submerged tree while trying to ford a creek.

Follow along with the pictures to see how staff and field members worked together to help extract him. Foxhunters are resourceful people, especially when one of our equines needs assistance! There will be dry cleaning bills. Photos by Cristi Collins

When it became clear the horse was genuinely stuck, the first step was to remove the saddle so he had total freedom to try to recover.

One rider steadies Elvis as another wields a chainsaw to remove the offending log. Another use for durable gloves in the hunt field!

Once the log was lowered, Elvis was persuaded to pull himself up onto the bank as hounds looked on.

Most elements of the formal hunt kit have functional origins — like tall boots for protection from mud and briars, and heavy wool coats for warmth — human or horse.

All's well that ends well. We see a warm bran mash and deeply bedded stall in Elvis' future.

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